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Reye's Syndrome Awareness

September 18th-24th is Reye's Syndrome Awareness Week. Reye's Syndrome usually develops when a person is recovering from a viral infection, and most frequently occurs in children. It is not contagious and it targets the brain and liver. Symptoms include listlessness, vomiting, drowsiness, confusion, convulsions and even loss of consciousness. Two liver tests can be performed to test for Reye's Syndrome (SGOT and SGPT). If caught early, there is a 90% recovery rate. When aspirin-containing medications are used to treat symptoms of viral infections, chances of developing Reye's Syndrome are increased. For this reason, it is recommended that aspirin-containing medications be avoided by anyone under the age of 19 when treating any viral illness. See the following link for a list of medications containing aspirin. Medications Containing Aspirin (PDF File: 44K)